Ethan Green was two months old when his parents, Beck and Mason, realized something was wrong. They had just gotten back together, and were having dinner as a family with him and his older sister, Felicity, who was a year and a half.

Mason decided to play some music while they ate, and Felicity happily bounced in her high chair as the soft melody of Mozart played in the dining room and kitchen. Then the audio cut out with a horrific screech of feedback, and Felicity started crying, covering her ears.

Ethan didn't react in the slightest.

Beck took him to the doctor the next day, who performed some hearing tests. The results came back quickly, with an astounding conclusion that Ethan was almost 98% deaf in both ears. Beck cried a little, worried for her boy. Life would be so much harder for him now. She dried her eyes and resolved to give him everything he needs to live life to the fullest.

Over the next several years, Ethan's family learned American Sign Language, as well as a variety of other ways to help him communicate. He got some hearing aids, but they didn't do much except make the cartilage around his ears hurt a little.

Other than the constant silence, Ethan grew up happy and healthy. He and Felicity got along great (for the most part), and neither were left wanting for much of anything. Beck and Mason continued to be supportive and loving— even when, at age 9, Felicity came forward and declared that 'she' was a 'he', and his name was Peter now.

Ethan, aged eight at the time, hugged Peter and spoke in a slurred voice, "You... my brother... always have been."

Peter cried, hugging him tightly.

A few years later, when Ethan was in seventh grade, he became friends with a girl in his class. Her name was Lex. They'd known each other since kindergarten, but had never really hung out before. Ethan didn't have many friends, and had gotten into a few fights when other kids started picking on him for his deafness. He'd gotten a bit of a bad reputation for that, but he never really cared.

Lex approached him one day, in the middle of the hallway at school, and signed to him, 'Do you want to be my friend?'

Ethan stared at her for a moment, mouth agape, before signing back, 'How long have you known ASL?'

'My dad let me take lessons this past summer,' she admits. 'I wanted to learn so you and me could be friends.'

So they became friends. Lex would often come over after school, and they'd do homework and sign jokes to each other until Lex's dad came to pick her up for dinner. Sometimes Lex's little sister, Hannah (who was nine at the time, would tag along, and the three of them would watch movies together.

After a year, Lex started avoiding Ethan for a few days. He was crushed— his only friend apparently didn't want to be his friend anymore. He caught her talking to Peter one morning as they all waited for the school bus. Her lips were moving too fast for him to read, but she looked nervous about something.

Peter wouldn't tell him what she said.

The next day, Lex approached him in the hallway, just as she had done the year before, just as nervous. But this time, instead of signing to him...

She kissed him.

He kissed her back.

When she pulled away, face red and eyes wide, Lex shakily signed, 'Do you want to be my boyfriend?'

Ethan nodded, and kissed her again.

—

Lex lays her head on Ethan's shoulder, as he strums a few notes on his guitar. He can't hear it unless he turns the amp way up, but Lex insists that he's doing a good job, so he doesn't bother. His hearing aids are in the bedside drawer, where they haven't been touched in months— and even before that, they'd been used sparingly.

Ethan and Lex have been dating for three years now, and she's become very fluent in ASL. Even her sister, Hannah (now 13) is good at it.

Lex kisses his cheek before laying her head back down. Closing her eyes, she sighs contentedly and presses the sign for 'I love you' into Ethan's back. This is how they've said it for as long as they've been together. She usually says it out loud, too, so he can read her lips if he's looking at her, but she doesn't this time.

Ethan stops playing, and glances at her. He bites his lip, and swallows nervously.

"I love you," he says, voice just as slurred as the day Peter had come out, almost ten years ago.

Lex jumps, looking at her boyfriend with wide eyes, full of wonder. Tears well up, for both of them, and she kisses him.

"I love you too," she mumbles against his lips.

Even though he can't hear her, Ethan smiles as he kisses her again.

When she pulls away, Lex grins at him. They go back to relaxing together for a while.

'Would you mind watching Hannah for me tomorrow?' Lex signs as she's getting ready to go home.

'Sure,' Ethan says. 'What's up?'

'I have to work,' Lex explains, making a face of disgust. 'It's the busiest day of the year for retail, and that new doll is getting released, so I have to go in. My boss said it's just a morning shift, 8AM to noon.'

'Maybe we could meet up after!' Ethan suggests. 'I could take Hannah to see that new Santa movie while we wait for you.'

'That sounds like fun!' Lex agrees. 'She'll love that. See you tomorrow, then?'

'See you tomorrow,' Ethan repeats, grinning.

They both say the next words out loud.

"I love you."